


The Sound of Music

by websthetics



Category: Nothing Much to Do, The Sound of Music - Rodgers/Hammerstein/Lindsay & Crouse
Genre: AU, M/M, pedrazar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-04 22:10:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3092708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/websthetics/pseuds/websthetics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Balthazar has no idea what he was letting himself in for when he becomes the tutor to the mischievous children of a Naval officer widow, Captain Pedro Donaldson.<br/>The Captain runs his household as fiercely as he did his ships. After a rocky start, Balthazar begins to bring music, laughter and love back to the family.<br/>But Balthazar can’t help blushing whenever Captain Donaldson watches him play and, even worse, the Captain’s fiancee has noticed."-from <a href="http://odetopedrazar.tumblr.com/post/103813258325/pedrazar-the-sound-of-music-because-of-reasons">odetopedrazar</a> on tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the first day of lovely little ficlets (it's still January first, check your time zones). When I was watching the Sound of Music last week I was suddenly struck with a need to write this fic.

Father John sighed deeply at his desk as he considered the problem of Stanly Balthazar Jones. Balth was an energetic novitiate, to say the least, always scampering in late to prayers, always wandering around the monastery with a song under his breath. Not that Balth was unwilling, oh no, just that the poor boy was so inexperienced with life. Balthazar just needed to go out and get some life experience to settle him down a little bit, but with a bit of scheming Father John could arrange that. There was a knock at his door and he called out, “Come in, Balthazar.”

“Oh Reverend Father, I am so deeply sorry for singing in the hallways again. I never mean to disturb the silence, I just feel music filling me and it must come out.”

“Sit down Balthazar,” Father John said patiently.

“It’s just that when I hear all the brothers singing during mass, all those voices together, I feel that is the voice of God, calling me to do his work.” Balthazar looked up at Father John’s face earnestly.

“Just because you feel compelled to do God’s work doesn’t mean that you are prepared for the work that we do here at the monastery.”

“I know that, but I really do try Father John.”

“Balthazar, I think it may be time to try your hand at God’s work somewhere else.” That was a little harsh, Father John considered, but he was never one to mince words and the boy needed to hear it.

“Oh Father John! You cannot send me away! I belong here!”

“Patience Balthazar. It will only be for a short time. Afterwards you will be more prepared for your life here.”

“Where would you have me go?”

“There is a family near here that needs someone to look after the five children during the summer.”

“Five is a lot of children.”

“Do you like children?” Taking care of children should teach Balthazar to act like less of a child, but Father John didn’t want Balthazar mistreating them if he didn’t like them. John’s mind flashed back to his own days of youth; before he had found God he had hurt many people with hatred.

“Well, yes. Children are less afraid of singing.”

Good, his plan was ready to be set in motion. “I will tell Captain Donaldson to expect you tomorrow.”

“Okay… that’s rather sudden. I don’t even know who this Captain Donaldson is.”

“Captain Pedro Donaldson, he is a retired navy officer and his wife Beatrice died some time ago. A good man, but he’s had trouble keeping someone to watch and teach the children.” The good Captain, was in fact, Father John’s brother, but after what happened when they were young, they did not talk much. And that was certainly not something that Balthazar needed to know.

“Why has he had trouble keeping help for the children?”

“Ah well, God will show you in time.” Hopefully the curious young singer would do the family some good too. “You’d best go pack if you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Yes Father.”

When Balthazar was at the door, Father John called out, “And remember, my son, there are many paths to righteousness.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Balthazar sings a song, which isn't altogether surprising.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops sorry this chapter is basically me ~~copying~~ borrowing from the musical a lot.

As he stepped outside the monastery, Balthazar became nervous about what awaited him at the Donaldson manor, so he did what he always did when faced with strong emotion: he sang.

_What will this day be like? I wonder._  
What will my future be? I wonder.  
It could be so exciting to be out in the world, to be free  
My heart should be wildly rejoicing  
Oh, what's the matter with me? 

The people on the street were looking at him strangely, but there was a tightness in his chest that needed to be let out. He could not reconcile these emotions with his conception of himself.

_I've always longed for adventure_  
To do the things I've never dared  
And here I'm facing adventure  
Then why am I so scared 

_A captain with five children  
What's so fearsome about that?_

He was going to live with a family he knew very little about. He was going to live with six complete strangers, and he was in charge of taking care of five of them! Granted, when he went to the monastery he also went live with people he didn’t know, and then it had become his home. It was his home and he was being sent away.

_Oh, I must stop these doubts, all these worries_  
If I don't I just know I'll turn back  
I must dream of the things I am seeking  
I am seeking the courage I lack 

He was still too much in his head; that’s when the doubts came. He shook his head and sang with even more determination.

_The courage to serve them with reliance_  
Face my mistakes without defiance  
Show them I'm worthy  
And while I show them   
I'll show me 

_So, let them bring on all their problems_  
I'll do better than my best  
I have confidence they'll put me to the test  
But I'll make them see I have confidence in me 

_Somehow I will impress them_  
I will be firm but kind  
And all those children (Heaven bless them!)  
They will look up to me 

_And mind me with each step I am more certain_  
Everything will turn out fine  
I have confidence the world can all be mine  
They'll have to agree I have confidence in me 

_I have confidence in sunshine_  
I have confidence in rain  
I have confidence that spring will come again  
Besides which you see I have confidence in me 

_Strength doesn't lie in numbers_  
Strength doesn't lie in wealth  
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumbers  
When you wake up -- Wake Up! 

_It tells me all I trust I lead my heart to_  
All I trust becomes my own  
I have confidence in confidence alone  
(Oh help!) 

_I have confidence in confidence alone  
Besides which you see I have confidence in me!_

By then Balthazar had reached the manor and felt so uplifted that he knocked without any hesitation. He waited at the door for several minutes and just as his doubts were about to come creeping back, the door opened. He said, partially to himself, partially to the woman who had opened the door, “Hello. Yes. Here I am.”

“And who might you be?” the woman said kindly.

“Oh yes, I’ve been sent by the monastery to watch the Donaldson children.”

“Thank goodness you’re here. I’m just the housekeeper and the Captain was having me look after the children, it’s just too much work. Come on in and wait here while I get the Captain,” and she bustled off.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Balthazar meets the Captain.

Balthazar waited alone in what appeared to be the entrance hall to a very large and very fancy house. As he was rotating and examining the ceiling, a man entered. Balthazar quickly composed himself and looked at the man. He didn’t look like what Balth expected a retired captain to look like; for starters he looked very young, in his thirties maybe. He didn’t have the military buzzcut either, his blond hair was cut close on the sides and longish on top, but that was gelled back and flat. He looked like he would be strong but his body was also rounded and soft looking. His facial features were stiff, making him look severe and stern.

“Why are you staring at me in such a manner?” were the first words out of the captain’s mouth.

Balthazar blushed and looked down, embarrassed that he had been caught looking too long. “It’s just that you don’t exactly look like a sea captain.”

“And you don’t look like the governess I requested. Nonetheless, I shall give you a try. Hopefully you’re better than the last governess, who left after two hours.”

“Why didn’t she stay longer?”

“Inadequate. No discipline. My children require discipline. Every morning they run drills--”

“Drills! What do you think this is? The army?!” The Captain then gave Balthazar an odd and offended look, “--sorry, the navy? Either way, they’re children. They shouldn’t be running drills, they should be playing.”

Captain Donaldson coughed and said sternly, “You will command my children with discipline or I will find a proper governess. Now let me introduce them to you.” He produced a whistle from the inside pocket of his coat and blew on it shrilly. At the sound, five children marched into the room, looking like miniature adults as they were wearing what resembled small navy uniforms. The Captain told them, “This is to be your new caretaker and instructor--” He paused, embarrassed at the realization that he didn’t know the name of the man who would take care of his children, “--um, what is your name?”

“Balthazar. Balthazar Jones.”

“Well, Mister Jones, each of the children responds to a different signal. Listen.” He turned to the children again, “At the signal say your name.”

Balthazar was astounded: at each series of cacophonous whistle blasts a child stepped forward and said their name, “Hero” “Benedick” “Dogberry” “Verges”. The youngest stumbled a little and stuttered her long name from her small mouth, “M-margaret.”

Then the Captain held out a whistle and said, “Now let’s see if you can replicate it.”

Balthazar looked down at his hands as they fidgeted with his long sleeves, “I’m sure that I can- it’s more that I don’t want to.”

The Captain looked shocked, and for a moment the muscles of his face relaxed and revealed a glimmer of sadness in his eyes. Then his expression hardened again, “Take the whistle. When I want you, this is what you will hear.” He began to put the whistle to his lips again but Balthazar interrupted him.

“I will under no circumstances respond to a whistle. And I won’t let any children under my care do so either, that’s bordering on abusive, sir.” He said all that staring directly at the Captain, but ducked his head on the word “sir”.

Captain Pedro Donaldson looked at Balthazar intently, “No wonder they sent you away from the monastery, if you make such a fuss. Well, you may acquaint yourself with the children.” He turned to walk away, but Balthazar interrupted again.

“Oh, sir, I still have a question. What signal to you respond to?”

The Captain stared at Balthazar again and slowly responded, “I don’t have one...” and he turned to walk out again, but Balthazar could hear him say underneath his breath, “I suppose he does have a point.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Getting to know you, getting to know all about you."_ (Oh wait, wrong musical.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know when I'll be able to update again, because this is as far as I have written and my semester starts tomorrow... But hopefully I'll post again soon.

Even after he left, the children still stood at attention. Balthazar told them, “You all can relax, this isn’t an navy base here.” They stood in place. “Come now, why don’t you tell me your names again and how old you are and just everything. I want to know everything about you.”

The oldest was the first to step forward. “I’m Hero. I’m fifteen.” She was small with delicate features, shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes. “He’s not always like that, it’s just since mother died... anyway I don’t need anyone taking care of me since I’m almost 16, but I can help you out with the other kids.”

Balthazar responded, “Thank you for telling me, Hero. And I suppose we’ll just be friends then.”

The next boy was gangly with blue eyes and a mess of dark hair.“I’m Benedick, I’m thirteen. Everyone says I’m impossible.” He proclaimed his impossibility with pride.

Balthazar said, “Congratulations, although you look very probable to me.”

Another boy with dark hair spoke up, “I’m Dogberry, I’m ten. I’m a detective like the honorific Sherlock Holmes.”

The blonde girl right next to him added on, “They call me Verges, I’m eight years old. I also detect things in an assistatory way, like John Watson.”

Dogberry started, “We find things-”

“and watch out,” Verges continued

“and investigate,” Dogberry interjected.

“discover,” Verges added.

“uncover,” Dogberry amended.

“recover,” Verges extrapolated.

“and detect in general.” Dogberry finished.

“I’m very impressed, it sounds like you are a big help to everyone,” Balthazar told them. “And how about you?” he asked the smallest girl.

“I’m a big help too,” she said.

“Oh, how do you help out?”

“Because I’m me.”

“And you’re Margaret?”

“We all just call her Meg,” Hero informed him. “And what about you, what should we call you?”

“Please just call me Balthazar,” he replied. “Tell me, are there any other rules of the house I should know?”

Benedick answered, “Always tell Father to mind his own business, be late to dinner, and stomp when you’re going up the stairs-”

“Ben! Don’t say those those things,” Hero interrupted. “Don’t listen to him Balthazar.”

“And why not?” Balthazar asked.

“Because I quite like you and want you stay,” Hero replied.

The housekeeper then entered the room and told them, “Children, go outside and play while I show this man to his room.”

As they were going out the door Dogberry said, “And then we can look for Tibbles!”

“Who is Tibbles?” Balthazar asked.

“Our cat!” Verges supplied.

“He’s been missing,” Dogberry explained as Hero closed the door behind them.

Balthazar then turned to the housekeeper, “Excuse me ma’am, I don’t think I caught your name.”

“Nor I yours,” she laughed. “You can call me Leona.”

“I’m Balthazar,” they shook hands.

“Now if you’ll come upstairs…” Balthazar grabbed the bag with his few worldly possessions and his guitar case and stepped up the broad marble staircase and down a hallway; the hardwood floor was covered by what must have been a quite expensive rug; deep red and rich blues formed an intricate geometrical pattern. They stepped into one of the rooms and Balthazar set his belongings down next to the largest and most comfortable looking bed he’d ever seen. Leona opened the dresser and said, “You can put your belongings in here.”

Balthazar opened his bag and found “Oh my,” a frog inside.

Leona came over to look. “At least it’s not a snake this time. That’ll be Benedick who did that. He’s quite the troublemaker.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner at the Donaldson house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update! Who would have thought! (Not me, surely.) Don't get used to it, I'm on spring break.

Balthazar made his way to the dining room as he heard the dinner bell ring. The whole family had already assembled when he entered the room. He quickly moved to take the empty seat, at the head across from The Captain. Consequently, he did not see the pinecone occupying his seat and jumped up in surprise.

“What strange ritual is this, Mister Jones?” Captain Donaldson asked in his gruff voice, his eyebrows drawn in suspicion.

Balthazar realized that Benedick had set this lovely booby trap, and wanted to keep him from getting in trouble so he quickly replied, “Oh, just something I learned at the monastary.” He slid into his seat so as to push the pinecone back so that he wasn’t sitting on it.

The Captain was surprised at this display. Of course he knew that his rowdy son had pulled some devious prank but Balthazar was defending him for some reason. He was surprised at how expressive Balthazar’s face was: soft with surprise, or as it was now, with a defensive smirk. The entirety of him looked untamed, from his unruly hair to his small, wily looking body.

Balthazar interrupted Captain Pedro’s reverie, “Are you going to say the prayer, Captain?”

It was not that The Captain was unreligious but ever since his brother… “You may say the prayer.”

Balthazar bowed his head and the children followed suit, “We thank you, Lord, for the food we are about to eat. We ask that you bless the food and bless us, your humble servants. Amen.”

“Amen,” they all murmured in response.

There was a moment of quiet and silverware clanking. Balthazar broke it saying, “Benedick, I would like to thank you for your welcoming gift.”

Benedick looked up in confusion, then down in embarrassment as he realized to what Balth was referring.

Captain Donaldson was incredulous that his mischievous son could have done anything so thoughtful. Still he reminded, “Go on son, say ‘You’re welcome.’”

Benedick’s face flushed with guilt, he said, “You’re welcome,” in a small voice.

Balthazar continued, “It’s just what I needed, something to welcome me to the family. And me, not knowing any of you, having left my home and everyone I knew. It was so very kind.”

Pedro, still suspicious, asked, “What did Benedick give you?”

Balthazar, wearing that same secretive smirk as before, replied, “I do believe this is just between me and him.”

Pedro was kept from further inquiries by the timely entrance of Leona, who announced, “Captain, you’ve received a letter by courier. He said you should read it immediately.”

While Pedro scanned the letter, Hero asked, “Leona, who delivered the letter?”

Leona replied, “Oh just that delivery boy, what’s his name? Claudio.”

The Captain then declared, “Kids, it looks as though I’ll have to go into the city for a while.”

There was a chorus of disappointment from the children:

Benedick complained, “But, father, you’ve only just come back.”

Little Meg said, “Oh, I will miss you so much,” as she clambered onto his seat.

Dogberry said, “Fear not, for by your return we will have solved the case of the missing Tibbles.”

“Indubiously!” Verges cried alongside him.

“Yes, we shall miss you, father. But I was wondering if I may be excused?” Hero inquired.

“You may be excused,” Captain Donaldson allowed, and Hero dashed off as the rest of the family finished dinner.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hero meets Claudio in the garden.

Hero snuck out the back door to where Claudio was waiting for her. She hated having to sneak around but she was not quite sure how her father would react to knowing she was seeing a boy. “Claudio,” she called out to him. He did not see her, standing between two jasmine bushes. “Claudio,” she called again, a little louder, as she made her way towards him.

He turned around, hearing her this time. “Hero!” he called back.

Hero reached Claudio and threw her arms about his neck. The smell of jasmine enveloped them. Hero pressed a kiss to his cheek and Claudio stepped out of her embrace.

“Oh don’t do that,” Claudio said.

“Isn’t that why you came?” Hero asked.

“I guess,” Claudio replied turning to the garden path. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Hero following his steps. “How much did you miss me?” she joked.

“I thought about delivering one of Robbie Borachio’s letter’s by mistake so I’d get to see you,” he said earnestly, looking up into her face.

Hero laughed, pulling at his fingers, “You should have done it.”

“No, Robbie Borachio has a terrible temper, and he’s no friend of your father’s,” Claudio objected, inspecting a rosebush. “I worry about you, you know.”

“Why is that?” Hero asked.

“You’re so naive and beautiful. You’re bound to get mixed up in some mess,” Claudio said, taking Hero’s hand.

Hero laughed again, “You worry too much. What mess is there to get mixed up in?”

Claudio looked into her blue eyes, “You don’t know how beastly men can be, Hero. You’re too young and innocent.”

Hero protested, “I’m not that young! I’m almost sixteen. You’re only a year older.”

Claudio sighed. “That’s what I mean! Now men will be lining up, all interested in you.” They continued walking down the path.

“But I’m not interested in them. I’m interested in you,” Hero explained.

Claudio stopped and looked at Hero again, brushing her moonlit hair, “I’m just trying to watch out for you.”

Hero smiled up into his eyes, “I know you are.” Their faces came ever closer until a soft meeting of lips, gentle and tentative. Hero broke the tender moment, “I better head back inside before they lock the doors.”

“Goodnight, Hero,” Claudio said, giving her hand a parting squeeze.

“Goodnight, Claudio,” Hero said, giving him a parting wave before she turned away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah yeah I took out the song but Balthazar is the musician not Claudio and it didn't really fit anyway. Also Claudio/Hero is basically my notp so this was painful to write. How dare the plot necessitate it! Anyway, I hope you have a lovely day! There'll be lovely music times next chapter.


End file.
